Biographical Sketch of Charles H. Meyer

Charles H. Meyer was a German, and settled in Tucson in 1854. From 1875 he served several times as City Recorder. His court was unique; every man, when first brought before him for any misdemeanor, he would treat leniently, sometimes giving him a lecture, but for the second offense, he usually imposed a heavy fine, and in addition, would send the offender to the chain gang. If the prisoner demurred to the sentence, the judge would generally double the time on the chain gang, saying: “Veil, I gifs you thirty days more on the chain gang for contempt of de court.” By this method he kept Tucson an orderly city during his terms in office.

He had the first drug store in Tucson, which he conducted for many years. One of the principal streets of the city, Meyer Street, is named for him.

He died in Tucson September 7th, 1903, having been a resident of that town for forty-seven years.